 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bill28099
Date: 2008-03-07 12:27
I'm scheduled for surgery next week. For those of you who have been through this did you have to lay off playing for a few days/weeks? The only thing I was told is no heavy lifting.
A great teacher gives you answers to questions
you don't even know you should ask.
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Author: Lynn
Date: 2008-03-07 13:32
My ophtamologist asked me to lay off for a week. She felt that playing a wind instrument increased occular pressure, and might affect the newly-implanted lens.
Lynn
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Author: ariel3
Date: 2008-03-07 13:32
Hi Bill,
My eye surgeon told me I could play after a few days - for short periods after he saw me the day after surgery for my first checkup.
Be sure to ask your surgeon for his/her OK. Blowing does exert some pressure to the "head area" as you know.
But, the end results are well worth the minor inconvenience.
Good luck !
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2008-03-07 13:38
Hi Bill - May I be first to respond ? Having had both eyes "opened up", but at separated times. I had a short period of some "confusion", and didn't read much music for several weeks, played some from the "good ole dayze" [top of head] but shortly after the 2nd, and being refitted for glasses [have some astigmatism [sp?] , began playing better. My opth. got both eyes to near 20/20, so have fair "no glasses" vision, but have 3 pair, bifocals, reading AND music-playing, focal length some 6-10 ft, so they're good for reading music and seeing conductors AND playing bridge/reading PC screens. Luck, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2008-03-07 13:48
My opthalmologist (sp??) had me not play for 2 weeks. Additionally I got monovision (eyes at different focal points). One eye is for distance, the other's set for music stands. I could use readers if I wanted but I don't bother...
YMMV! And always follow your doctor's orders!
(and yes I'm young for cataracts...they were diagnosed at age 22 and fixed at age 36)
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Author: hans
Date: 2008-03-07 14:21
Nothing below replaces advice or information from your physician. Each case is likely unique.
My wife will be having the surgery soon so I went with her this week for the pre-op visit. We were shown a video and given a detailed information package. She was told to avoid anything "jarring" afterwards for a few weeks, like jogging or running on a treadmill.
One of the main things that she was warned about was to apply the prescribed eye drops to minimize the risk of infection afterwards. Apparently infection after surgery can easily cause permanent blindness.
It was interesting to find out that there are many different kinds of lenses available, including lenses that accommodate, although the ophthalmologist said those would not be the best choice in her case. UV filtration is an option, for retina protection. Also, more expensive lenses have more "hooks" that attach to the eye, reducing the chance that they will move out of position.
During my wife's surgery to install the new lens, the ophthalmologist will make small incisions in the cornea to correct her astigmatism.
Hans
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Author: alanporter
Date: 2008-03-07 14:48
It depends on the type of incision you have in the rim of your cornea. If you are having a foldable lens inserted the incision will be onlya few millimeters long. If this is the case, avoid playing for one week. If it is to be a standard non-foldable lens the incision will be much longer, going around140 degrees of the upper cornea, and requiring a number of sutures to close. This requires 10 to 14 days of not playing. Of course, your ophthalmologist may disagree !
Alan MD
Diplomate in Ophthalmology
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Author: bill28099
Date: 2008-03-07 15:21
Thanks for all the information. I had planned on asking the surgeon about playing next Monday. I'm already doing one set of eye drops in preparation and afterwards there are more to take for possible rejection.
Yes, the foldable lense with special astigmatism correction is to be installed. 900 bucks a lense and not covered under Canada's wonderful health care system. Glad I pay for supplemental insurance.
A great teacher gives you answers to questions
you don't even know you should ask.
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2008-03-07 17:40
bill28099 wrote:
> Yes, the foldable lense with special astigmatism correction is
> to be installed. 900 bucks a lense and not covered under
> Canada's wonderful health care system. Glad I pay for
> supplemental insurance.
>
Yeah, those lenses weren't covered by my insurance in th US either, but, as with many other things, I as a consumer decided wearing glasses wasn't a big enough deal to me to make it worth the extra $$ BTW, I actually stopped playing for 3 weeks per my doctor's instructions. Thank you for your input, Alan MD, and for the advice to listen to the doc who is actually treating the eyes.
Barb
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Author: hans
Date: 2008-03-07 17:44
bill28099,
Re: "not covered under Canada's wonderful health care system".... that system (at least in Ontario - other provinces may be different) covers the basic surgeon's fees and the basic lens so that no one needs to do without. The extra package of lens upgrade + astigmatism correction comes to over $1600 (Canadian $) per eye in my wife's case. It looks like you are getting a good deal.
Good luck with your surgery.
Hans
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2008-03-07 17:55
I'm just over my 2nd lens transplant. The improvement in brightness and color contrast (no more built-in smog) is stunning.
I had compound ReZoom brand lenses installed --extra cost options! They have "intermediate" and "distance" focal lengths combined into one odd-looking lens.
Anyhow, I had no playing restrictions. I came home with my first new eye dilated, but the next day, I took than lens out of my spec frames and started playing. The 2nd eye recovered more rapidly.
Unfortunately, because of residual astigmatism, I'll need up-close and music stand glasses to accommodate the interference between two-focal length implants. HEY, at least I got rid of the distance glasses.
But no time out from playing after the surgery.
alanporter wrote:
> It depends on the type of incision you have in the rim of your
> cornea. If you are having a foldable lens inserted the
> incision will be onlya few millimeters long. If this is the
> case, avoid playing for one week. If it is to be a standard
> non-foldable lens the incision will be much longer, going
> around140 degrees of the upper cornea, and requiring a number
> of sutures to close. This requires 10 to 14 days of not
> playing. Of course, your ophthalmologist may disagree !
>
> Alan MD
> Diplomate in Ophthalmology
Bob Phillips
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Author: bill28099
Date: 2008-03-07 19:01
In BC the Province will cover the old style hard plastic lense which requires the big incision, sutures and extra healing time. My doctor said he would not do the old style lense so you had to pay a minumum $350 for the standard folding lense. I figured I was likely doing this only once in my life so better go for the best available. I'm also lucky as 80% of the lense is covered since I'm a retired public servant. However, I only went for the single vision insert given I actually like the safety of a pair of glasses between me and the world.
A great teacher gives you answers to questions
you don't even know you should ask.
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Author: bill28099
Date: 2008-03-15 19:58
Surgery is over and went well, it's nice to know that I really don't have to get the apartment's drapes cleaned and wow are traffic lights bright. I was told to lay off a week but since I don't have a proper pair of music/computer glasses it's not a big deal. New glasses should be here Tuesday and I'll be back in business.
A great teacher gives you answers to questions
you don't even know you should ask.
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2008-03-16 01:00
Glad to hear it went well. It sure does make a difference, doesn't it? My ocular pressure really zoomed up after the first surgery, though, so we had to be cautious. Take Care!
Barb
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